Wire-fabric machine



(No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

r. A. WILLIAMS.

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

No.1 517,508; Patented Apr. 3, 18,94.

W1 :1 will &

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu A NY.

(N0 ModeLJ a Sheets-Sheet 2.

F A WILLIAMS WIRE FABRIC MAGHINE.

N0. v517,508. Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

Min e55 es. W

(No Model.)-

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. P. A. WILLIAMS;

WIRE FABRIC MACHINE.

' No. 517,508. Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

all

fl/l hewes. 9 M V v 74* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. WILLIAMS, OF HOLLEY, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD T. LAMB, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK.

WIRE-FABRIC MACl-llNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,508, dated April 3, 1894. Application filed November 1'7, 1892. Serial No. 452,244. (No model.)

To all whom zit/may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. WILLIAMS, of Holley, 1n the county of Orleans and State of New York, have inventeda certain new and-useful Improvement in'Wire-Fabric Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawlngs accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to machines for weaving wire fabric. It is applicable, more particularly, to weaving wire fences of that class where the longitudinal wires are first attached to the posts and the filling is then woven in.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevatlon of the machine and a portion of fence which it is in the act of weaving. Fig. 2 is a front elevation looking in the direction of the arrow at the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of the arrow at the left. in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross section in line cc0c of Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing 1n elevation the manner of shifting the gears.

This invention relates to that class in which segment twisters are used carrying the filling w1res; which segmental twisters are alternately moved up and down for the purpose of crossing the filling wires from one to another of the longitudinal strands.

A indicates the main frame, which is provided with wheels 0. a that roll forward on a platform B as the work progresses, being kept in place by guides 19 I).

Q C are two slides on two opposite sides, which move up and down in the main frame, being connected at their top by a pivoted rock lever c and two connecting rods dd. By this means when one slide is thrown up the other is thrown down and vice versa. The throw of the slides is equal to the distance apart of the longitudinal strands of the fence.

D D and D D are two series of twisters,

attached respectively to the two slides and moving with them in reverse directions. Each twister consists of a segment composed of two half-heads f g, with a circular groove h between them, in which groove fits the concave edge i of the slide, by which means the segment turns freely but is held to the slide as the latter moves up and down. The head f is formed with a set of gear teeth is k; and with the teeth of one of the twisters engages a pinion Z, attached to a shaft m, having its hearings in one of the slides, and provided with a crank n. The pinion being carried up and down by the slide remains in permanent engagement with this particular twister.

E E are a set of tubular spindles attached fast to the main frame. The longitudinal wires jj of the fence pass freely through these spindles.

0 o 0 are a series of center blocks'mounted on the spindles so as to turn freely, but having no longitudinal or vertical movement. They, in fact, form sections which fit between the twisters when brought td position, and are provided with gear teeth is It and grooves h h corresponding with those of the twisters. By this means when the segmental twisters are brought in alignment with the center blocks complete circular heads are formed which turn freely between the opposing edges of the slides, and each head forms a gear wheel driven by'the pinion on the outer side. As the ends of the center blocks all gear together therotary motion imparted .to one of the heads by the pinion is transmitted to all of them.

Each alternate pair of the twisting heads is provided with brackets 10 10 on the heads 9 g, which brackets support the bobbins r 0 that hold the filling wires. These filling wires pass out through holes 8 sin the brackets and connect with the main wires. The upper and lower twisters of the set, however, have each but a single bracket 19 which is attached to one segment. In this construction it is necessary to use half twisters D one above and the other below the main twisters, and arranged on opposite sides as shown. They perform no twisting action, but are necessary to complete the gears of the upper and lower twisters as the slides are moved up and down. Otherwise no rotation would be given to the upper and lower twisters. In order to pre serve the proper position of these half heads so that they can be moved in connection with the other twisters, they run in contact with guides t t which hold them in place. The guides correspond in shape and position with the center blocks 0 between the gears.

In practice only asingle filling wire is wound around each of the extreme longitudinal wires of the fence, hence but a single bracket and bobbin is necessary at each of those points. But double filling wires are wound on all of the intermediate longitudinal wires at intervals of every other wire. At these points double brackets and bobbins are required.

The method of changing the twisters from one wire to another is illustrated in the diagram Fig. 5, which shows the upper twister at the left moving down and the lower one at the right moving up. When they align with the lower center block they complete the gear, which can then be revolved by the pinion any desired number of times.

By the construction above described the machine is in simpler and more compact form and is much lighter to operate than ordinary machines, since the gears and the twisters are combined together forming a single set of revolving heads; whereas, in ordinary machines the gears and heads are widely separated and are connected by bars. This machine also difiers from others in being driven by a pinion on the outside attached to one of the slides and engaging with the external gear teeth, while in other machines motion is imparted to the twisters by an inner section.

The machine is propelled forward by means of the ordinary rack and gear u operated by hand lever 11, and the slides are reciprocated up and down by a hand lever w, or any other suitable means.

Having described my invention, I do not claim broadly reversible twister heads and slides; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wire fence machine, the combination of the reversible slides, the series of twisters attached thereto and movable with the slides, and center blocks with which the twisters align when in position, said twisters and center blocks being provided on their outer edges with gear teeth with which engages an external gear for giving rotary motion to the twisters, as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the segmental twisters attached to suitable supports and movable in reverse directions, of the stationary center blocks capable of rotary motion, the twisters and blocks provided with gear teeth, and so arranged that when the twisters are brought in alignment with the blocks complete circular toothed heads are formed, as herein shown and described.

3. The combination, with the main frame, of the reversible slides, the toothed center blocks attached to suitable supports, the toothed twister heads connected with the slides so as to be carried up and down with them, and the pinion Z and its shaft m attached to one of the slides, said pinion engaging with the gear of one of the twister heads, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK A. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

ABRAHAM L. SALISBURY, TRUE D. MArrsoN. 

